Turning Pro: a deep dive

[@adurcarret]

Vidi, gavisus, communicatus et acquisitus. I saw, I enjoyed, I shared and I bought the book. Thanks Nikos!

[@nikos_1717]

Thank you Alejandro!

[@paramsunart4694]

Bro I'm such a big fan of yours.....please keep making videos...

[@nikos_1717]

Aw, thank you! Busy period, but more will come.

[@sethrasky68]

Great analysis and summary, would love to see more deep dives and long format content. Keep it up, Professor.

[@nikos_1717]

Many thanks, will do!

[@lmf9308]

Thanks. You convinced me to buy the audiobook. I particularly liked this concept of "shadow careers." I am in academia, and I think almost everyone here (including myself until somewhat recently) just has a shadow career. People go into academia as idealistic youth wanting to understand the universe. But after only a few short years, they are spending all their precious time miserably writing boring papers about some extremely esoteric subject. They know, on some level, that their life's work is useless crap, but they are afraid of losing their job and they don't think anything better is possible.

[@nikos_1717]

I also started with the audiobook.It's narrated by the author himself and it's captivating. And yes, academia was definitely a shadow career at least for me.

[@kib9749]

This was awesome, so relevant for me. Thank you!

[@nikos_1717]

Thank you, glad you found it useful!

[@peacebuddha96]

I just understood something thanks to this presentation of yours: 2 years ago my wife of 7 years left me, because I made many mistakes and was an overall troubled person. Since then I think about her every day, every free second and regret my mistakes. I'm deeply depressed. Meanwhile something else happend in those 2 years. I improved myself. I started eating healthier, working out, earning money. Becoming a better human being in general. All that time I thought that I distracted myself from that break-up pain by becoming a better human being and the "real" me is the sad and depressed one that wants the past back. Now I come to think, that maybe it is the opposite way. Maybe my depression is a way of distracting myself from my purpose. From pursuing my happiness. Maybe it tries to drag me back to the depths of the loser realm. These 2 years I felt guilty for improving, because I thought it's fake and I'm betraying my easy and comfortable sheltered past. Now I come to understand I am allowed and even morally obligated to push forward. To live and grow up to be better and find my purpose and then go after my purpose. Thank you so much, Nikos.

[@nikos_1717]

This is such an inspiring message, thank you, And indeed, the pain of a breakup or of a calamity can be the fuel for discovering a better version of one's self. I wish you the best.

[@Cecile33369]

I picked apples this summer and can relate to the circle of addiction. Thanks for sharing this book Nikos.

[@nikos_1717]

Thank you, glad you found it useful. Picking apples sounds like a tough job the way Pressfield describes it.

[@drixcel2741]

Great topic, thank you! Pao over Oly I gather, Nikos?

[@nikos_1717]

Thank you, and absolutely not! AEK!

[@NoaHerngren]

Im working on finding a central purpose. Problem is what do you do if there are many things which you like/feel good at? What do you think are the best questions to ask to sort it out?

[@nikos_1717]

This is not my expertise, and I got a lot of help towards figuring out such question from a guy called Tal Tsfany (he also happens to be my boss) and a workshop he runs called 'The Happiness Team'. But one question I'd ask is what is the possible common thread among the things you like/are good at. Let me give you an example from my own life: I like history, I like reading, I like politics, I like sports, and I like public speaking. Teaching is a craft incorporating all of these: it involves doing lots of reading, it incorporates lessons from history, it can even involve sport parables and examples, and it has the communication element of public speaking.

[@NoaHerngren]

@@nikos_1717 so basically integrate the things you like into one activity?

[@HaimSchlesinger]

Life seeping like a sieve Unable to act but cry; You are reluctant to live If you’re afraid to die.

[@nikos_1717]

Or, motivation by love vs motivation by fear.

[@TeaParty1776]

Very interesting. I would like to hear Alex Epstein, Jean Moroney and Yaron Brook discussing together. I just ordered it.

[@nikos_1717]

Thank you. Alex Epstein's productivity-themed podcast 'The Human Flourishing Podcast' is a treasure.